Espanyol keen to keep loan pair

Espanyol is hoping to retain Diego Lopez and Diego Reyes on a permanent basis after the on-loan duo impressed for the Primera Division outfit this season.

Currently ninth in La Liga, the Catalan club is already six points ahead of the 43 they managed all of last season and still have five games remaining in the season.

Lopez and Reyes have played a massive role in the side's improvement this term, after arriving from AC Milan and Porto respectively, having been virtually ever-present in a defence that has conceded considerably fewer goals this season.

"Our intention is for Diego Reyes and Diego Lopez to remain," club chief executive Ramon Robert told Marca.

"We will not do anything crazy but we will do all that we can for them to continue.

"It's no secret that Diego Lopez wants to stay and that we want him to continue, we have to wait and see what happens with Milan and with the change of ownership.